This website is no longer in use, however it does serve as an archive for past UIS news stories from January 2005 to May 2021.
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The University of Illinois Springfield Innovation Hub, UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership and the Community Health Roundtable will host a free public webinar titled “COVID-19 and Returning to Work: Implications for the Workforce, Women and Work Sectors” at Noon Friday, May 21 via Zoom.
As the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions are gradually lifted, "returning to work" is not as simple as it seems for some people, due to childcare issues, lingering fear of COVID-19 infection, re-start challenges for businesses, government subsidies and other reasons. In this webinar, expert panelists will discuss how these issues are affecting our state and local workforce, why women may be more affected than men and what we can expect as the summer approaches. There will also be a general COVID-19 update with specifics on vaccines and masks.
Panelists include Alison Dickson, senior instructor in the Labor Education Program in the School of Labor and Employment Relations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Chris Hembrough, president and CEO of The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce; Gail O'Neil, director of the Sangamon County Department of Public Health; and Rachel DeVries, vice president of human resources for the Hospital Sisters Health System Illinois Division. The discussion will be moderated by Molly Lamb, executive director of the UIS Center of State Policy and Leadership.
In order to attend the event, please register online at go.uis.edu/COVIDwebinar. A Zoom link will be emailed to those who register.
For more information, contact Bruce Sommer at 217-899-3186 or bsomm2@uis.edu. Past UIS webinars can be found online at go.uis.edu/Webinars.
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| 2016 File Photo |
WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Women’s Center will hold its annual Take Back the Night march and rally against sexual violence during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
WHEN: 7-9 p.m. Friday, April 16, 2021
WHERE: UIS Student Union North Patio
DETAILS: Take Back the Night is an opportunity to raise awareness about sexual violence and for students to express themselves as survivors and allies. This year’s event will be held completely outdoors in order to follow COVID-19 safety protocols.
Students will gather on the Student Union North Patio before the event starts to create posters with supportive messaging. The march will begin shortly after 7 p.m. The march will travel throughout campus ending back at the Student Union North Patio. After the march, a slate of scheduled speakers will kick off the event, followed by an open mic where students, faculty and staff in attendance can share stories, poetry and messages of solidarity.
Take Back the Night is the culmination of 10 days of events that began with the Sexual Assault Awareness Month Day of Action on April 6 and has also included poster making, a workshop series and student-led events.
The Take Back the Night march and rally has been an annual event on the UIS campus for the past 13 years.
For more information, contact Rexann Whorton, UIS Women’s Center program director, at 217-206-7197 or rwhor2@uis.edu.
The University of Illinois Springfield College of Business and Management will host a presentation by author Benjamin Powell as part of the Christine & Lou Friedrich Speaker Series. Powell will present “Business, Ethics and Immigration – Why we should welcome the ‘Wretched Refuse,’” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 20 via Zoom.
Powell, author of “Wretched Refuse: The Political Economy of Immigration and Institutions,” will speak on the economic benefits of immigration. Drawing on examples from the United States, Israel and Jordan, Powell makes the case that open labor markets benefit countries, businesses and individuals. In turn, this economic flourishing lays the foundation of an ethical argument for why we should welcome immigrants.
Powell is also the executive director of the Free Market Institute at Texas Tech University and a professor of economics in the Rawls College of Business. He is the author of “Out of Poverty: Sweatshops in the Global Economy,” co-author of “Wretched Refuse: The Political Economy of Immigration and Institutions” and of the Amazon best- selling book “Socialism Sucks: Two Economists Drink Their Way Through the Unfree World.” He is editor or co-editor of five other books including, “The Economics of Immigration: Market-Based Approaches, Social Science and Public Policy.” He has appeared on numerous radio and television shows including, Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC, Showtime, CNBC and was a regular guest commentator on Fox Business's Freedom Watch and Stossel.
This speaker series is made possible thanks to a gift from Christine and Lou Friedrich to help jump-start the Business and Society project which includes initiatives in finance, economics, and the future of business education. Lou Friedrich is a life director of the University of Illinois Foundation Board of Directors, and an alumnus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in general engineering.
The Zoom can be accessed by visiting uis.edu/cbm/ and clicking on the Zoom link provided.
The UIS College of Business and Management is AACSB accredited and offers nine undergraduate and three graduate degrees, in addition to seven graduate certificates.
For more information, contact William Kline at 217-206-8138 or wklin2@uis.edu.
The University of Illinois Springfield Innovation Hub, UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership and the Community Health Roundtable will host a free public webinar titled “COVID-19 and the Health of the Community: Moving from the Old to the New Normal” at Noon Friday, April 16 via Zoom.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of how people and communities take care of their health. Some of these changes may end as the pandemic recedes, but many will be permanent. In this webinar, panelists will discuss the baseline pre-COVID-19 health outcomes of people in Sangamon County; how social determinants of health, such as housing quality and affordability, have earned increased attention during the pandemic; and the trajectory of the pandemic in light of recent trends in health care practices, new COVID cases, vaccine administration and COVID-19 variants.
Panelists include Dr. David Steward, retired faculty member, SIU School of Medicine and convener of the Community Health Roundtable; Ty Price Dooley, UIS associate professor of public administration; and Dr. Vidya Sundareshan, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at SIU School of Medicine and medical advisor to the Sangamon County Department of Public Health. The discussion will be moderated by Molly Lamb, executive director of the UIS Center of State Policy and Leadership.
In order to attend the event, please register online at go.uis.edu/COVIDwebinar. The Zoom link can be found on the registration page.
For more information, contact Bruce Sommer at 217-899-3186 or bsomm2@uis.edu. Past UIS webinars can be found online at go.uis.edu/Webinars.
The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) is pleased to present “Flash Point || Liminal Lost,” two exhibitions showcasing works of art created by graduating seniors in the UIS Visual Arts Program. The exhibitions will open on April 26 and run through May 12, 2021. A closing remote exhibition reception will be held via Zoom from 6-7 p.m. May 13. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Face masks are required on campus.
“Flash Point || Liminal Lost” will be hosted in two locations:
The exhibits explore the boundaries of realism that are blurred as artists evoke emotions and memories that transcend the real and virtual world. “Flash Point || Liminal Lost” features a diversity of media including digital media, installation, mixed media and photography. Works by seniors Kortney Correa, Aaron Elmore, Claude Henry, Zoey Pritchett, Megan Roberts and Elizabeth Shumake will be featured.
The artists have prepared works that expand the emotional impact the world has on us – both physically and digitally – encouraging the viewers to ponder their own liminal experiences as they explore the exhibition.
For more information, visit the UIS Visual Arts Gallery website at uis.edu/visualarts/gallery or contact the gallery at 217-206-6506 or alach3@uis.edu.
WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Women’s Center and Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center will co-sponsor a visual display of 1,000 flags on the UIS quad for Sexual Assault Awareness Month’s Day of Action.
WHEN: 8 a.m.- 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 6, 2021
WHERE: UIS campus quad near the colonnade
DETAILS: Sexual Assault Awareness Month Day of Action is observed on the first Tuesday of every April. This year, UIS student volunteers will be creating a display of 1,000 flags on the quad near the campus colonnade. These flags, which display the teal sexual assault awareness ribbon, will each represent the 433,000 Americans in the United States who are sexually assaulted or raped every year according to the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network. Each flag will represent 433 Americans (433 x 1000).
The display will include signage explaining the meaning behind the display, and include information about resources on campus a student could contact if they or someone they cared about is a survivor of sexual assault. The student volunteers will be setting up the display early in the morning, and the display and information will remain until early evening.
For more information, contact Rexann Whorton, UIS Women’s Center program director, at 217-206-7197 or rwhor2@uis.edu.
The University of Illinois Springfield Music Program will host a virtual panel discussion, “From Diversity to Inclusion: Arts Advocacy and Racial Equality in the 21st Century,” at 6 p.m. Monday, April 5, 2021, via Zoom. This event is free and open to the public and will be followed by an open discussion session with the audience.
Panelists will discuss their efforts to engage the arts to tackle issues of silencing, prejudice and racism and to encourage greater equity and inclusiveness in the arts. Each speaker will present for 12 minutes.
Panelists will include Tiffani Saunders, UIS sociology/anthropology and African American studies lecturer; Kathryn Harris, winner of the 2020 State Journal-Register First Citizen Award; Reggie Guyton, a local performance artist, Charles Gentry, lecturer at the University of Texas at San Antonio; and Sarah Webb, UIS assistant professor of English. The discussion will be moderated by Yona Stamatis, UIS associate professor of ethnomusicology and director of the UIS Music Program.
Saunders specializes in race and ethnicity, family, mental health and the scholarship of teaching and learning. She is a Maryland native and alum of Bowie State University, Maryland’s oldest historically black college. Saunders is a classically trained violinist and avid volunteer. Her commitment to both learning about and giving back to the community has resulted in creative projects like the Hip Hop Xpress which came to Springfield in September 2020, as well as countless panels, workshops, and awards.
Harris is the first woman and the first African American to serve as the president of the Abraham Lincoln Association since its inception in 1909, serving as president from 2006-2018. After more than 25 years of service, Harris retired in 2015 from her position as the library services director at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library (formerly the Illinois State Historical Library). Harris presents one-woman first-person performances which honor historic 19th century African American women. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and master’s degree in library science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Guyton currently works as a historical actor at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum where he not only performs in the famous “Ghosts of the Library.” He is the author of a monologue on Robert Smalls, a Black man who escaped slavery and later served in South Carolina’s House of Representatives. Additionally, he has acted in many local theater productions including “A Raisin in the Sun” (2016), “Dreamgirls” (2011) and “The Spirit of Lincoln” (2020) as well as directed “Memphis: The Musical.” Aside from his efforts in theater, Guyton strives to marry storytelling and art with activism and understanding.
Gentry is a versatile interdisciplinary scholar who works as a lecturer in the African American Studies Program at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and a researcher with the UTSA Center for Cultural Sustainability. He also teaches in the UTSA Department of History and the Johns Hopkins University Cultural Heritage Management Program. He received a doctoral degree from the University of Michigan in American culture and a bachelor’s degree from UTSA in American studies. His interests include African American history, film and media studies, performance studies, arts management and cultural policy.
Webb teaches writing and cultural studies. She launched the website Colorism Healing in 2013 to raise awareness and create change. Since then, she has reached thousands of people across the globe through her international writing contest, anthologies, articles, media interviews, presentations and workshops. Webb has recently co-authored such articles as “Colorism and the Poetics of Resistance Among Black Youth: An Application of the Colorist-Historical Trauma Framework” in the Journal of Black Studies and “How Colorist Microaggressions have Eluded Social Work: A Literature Review” in the Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work.
The virtual Zoom panel discussion can be accessed by visiting uis.edu/music and clicking on the link on the main page.
The University of Illinois Springfield Innovation Hub, UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership and the Community Health Roundtable will host a free public webinar titled “Implications of COVID-19 for Historically Marginalized Populations and the Aging Population” at Noon Friday, March 16 via Zoom.
The COVID-19 virus, and the public health interventions that are meant to control the pandemic, may cause outsized negative effects on populations with pre-existing physical, social, behavioral and economic vulnerabilities. In this webinar, panelists will describe how the COVID-19 pandemic and the public health response has affected the historically marginalized and aging populations in our area, and what is being done to assist these populations in COVID-19 recovery.
Panelists include Veronica Espiña, founder and co-chair of the Springfield Immigrant Advocacy Network; Veronica Halloway, chief of the Center for Minority Health Services at the Illinois Department of Public Health; and Carolyn Austin, CEO of AgeLinc/Area Agency on Aging for Lincolnland in Springfield. The discussion will be moderated by Molly Lamb, executive director of the UIS Center of State Policy and Leadership.
In order to attend the event, please register online at go.uis.edu/COVIDwebinar. The Zoom link can be found on the registration page.
For more information, contact Bruce Sommer at 217-899-3186 or bsomm2@uis.edu. Past UIS webinars can be found online at go.uis.edu/Webinars.
The University of Illinois Springfield Innovation Hub and UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership will host a free public COVID-19 webinar titled “Getting our Lives Back: The Opportunities that Lie Ahead” at Noon Friday, March 12 via Zoom.
As the vaccine roll-out accelerates, panelists will discuss what life post-pandemic could look like and opportunities that will impact how we live, work and interact with others. Panelists will discuss emerging innovations, business models and social paradigms that could make our lives more productive. The webinar will also look at new government incentives to help businesses and the workforce successfully adapt to the new economy.
Panelists for the discussion include Kenneth Kriz, UIS distinguished professor of public administration; Anna Palmer, general partner at Flybridge and co-founder of XFactor Ventures; and Ericka Perkins, assistant state director for the Illinois Small Business Development Center Network. The discussion will be moderated by Bruce Sommer, UIS director of economic development and innovation.
In order to attend the event, please register online at go.uis.edu/COVIDwebinar. The Zoom link can be found on the registration page.
For more information, contact Bruce Sommer at 217-899-3186 or bsomm2@uis.edu. Past UIS webinars can be found online at go.uis.edu/Webinars.
The University of Illinois Springfield’s popular star parties are returning as virtual events this spring and summer. The Astronomy-Physics Program is planning six virtual star parties at 7 p.m. March 12, 8 p.m. April 9, 8:30 p.m. May 14, June 11 and Aug. 12 and 9 p.m. July 9.
John Martin, UIS associate professor of astronomy/physics, will give tips for identifying planets and constellations and answer astronomy questions submitted live. When the weather allows there will be live views through the telescope of bright planets, nebula and star clusters. The event on Aug. 12 coincides with the peak of the Perseid Meteor shower.
The link for all the Zoom events is go.uis.edu/virtualstarparty. Additional information is posted at go.uis.edu/summerstarparties and @UISObservatory on Twitter. Participants are encouraged to follow the Twitter account for updates and information about what will be viewed at each event. The event will be capped at 300 people.
Please monitor the summer star parties website at go.uis.edu/summerstarparties or @UISObservatory on Twitter, for possible changes.
For more information on summer star parties, contact John Martin at jmart5@uis.edu.
The University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery is pleased to present a “Visual Arts Faculty Exhibition” in conjunction with programs that celebrate UIS’ 50th anniversary. The exhibition will open on Monday, March 8, and will run through Thursday, April 15. There will be no public reception for this exhibition.
The exhibition of works by distinguished UIS Visual Arts faculty will feature Brytton Bjorngaard, associate professor of digital media; Shane Harris, associate professor of ceramics and sculpture; Mike Miller, associate professor of painting and drawing and his collaborator, Brian Gillis; and Jeff Robinson, instructor and gallery director.
The Visual Arts Gallery will host a series of remote events that feature each faculty member as programming for this exhibition. These remote events will take at 6 p.m. on the following dates via Zoom at https://uis.zoom.us/j/88232930952.
March 11: Brytton Bjorngaard will present an overview her sabbatical research which includes the restoration of a letterpress, the development of a new body of work and future plans for Prairie Star Press at UIS.
March 18: Mike Miller and his collaborator, Brian Gillis, will discuss “Limen: A Border Project,” a recent collaboration spanning print media and public art that explores the perception of personal, societal and community boundaries already present in a given site.
April 1: Jeff Robinson will be in conversation with Larry Shiner, associate professor emeritus of visual art, to discuss Robinson’s work in the exhibition as well as what it means to be an artist-curator.
April 8: Shane Harris will present an overview of his sabbatical research which includes an artist residency at the renowned Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, the development of a new body of work and solo exhibition at UIS.
Brytton Bjorngaard is an associate professor of digital media at the University of Illinois Springfield and has previously held positions at Whitworth University and Iowa State University. She received her master’s degree in fine art in graphic design from Iowa State University and her bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. In addition to teaching, she is a freelance graphic designer and photographer. Her work explores the ways in which we communicate in our increasingly digital age. Her exhibition practice is centered on the intersection of commercial and fine art practices, as well as the contrast of traditional historical production and current digital trends.
Shane Harris was born in DeKalb, Illinois. He received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) in ceramics in 2003 and sculpture in 2004. He earned his master’s degree in fine arts from Indiana University in 2007. His work has been displayed in national exhibitions that include the Tampa Contemporary Museum of Art, Manifest Gallery, Kolva-Sullivan Gallery and the Archie Bray Gallery. He has work in private collections, such as the Kinsey Institute. His work has been published in “The Best of 500 Ceramics: Celebrating a Decade in Clay” and “500 Sculptures.” Harris is the recipient of the Windgate Fellowship at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana and the University of Illinois Springfield College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ Scholarly Enhancement Grant. At UIS, he teaches courses in ceramics, sculpture, 3-D design and professional skills.
Mike Miller and Brian Gillis have worked together as an artistic team since 2006, creating projects ranging from editioned multiples to site-specific installations and actions. Notable joint exhibitions include “Across the Divide: Reconsidering the Other” at the Illinois State Museum, “Free Radio” at the Cue Foundation for the Arts in New York and “Mapping Harbin” at the Academy of Art and Design, Heilongjiang University, China. They met as colleagues in the Visual Arts Program at the University of Illinois Springfield in 2005. Gillis is currently a professor of art and director of the Center for Art Research at the University of Oregon. Miller is an associate professor of art at the University of Illinois Springfield.
Jeff Robinson is an artist and curator based in Chicago and Springfield, Illinois. He earned a master’s degree in fine art from Illinois State University. Robinson has exhibited independently and collaboratively at numerous venues including Hyde Park Art Center (Chicago), RomanSusan (Chicago), Ski Club (Milwaukee), University Galleries of Illinois State University (Normal), Des Lee Gallery (St. Louis) and E. Tay (New York). His work has been published in New American Paintings, and his practices have been featured on Daily Serving in Newcity Magazine (Chicago), Sixty Inches from Center (Chicago), FLOORR Magazine (London) and in the Riverfront Times (St. Louis), among others. Robinson is a recipient of the Illinois Arts Council Fellowship Award in Visual-Based Arts alongside his collaborator, Allison Lacher (2020). He was a curatorial resident for HATCH Projects at Chicago Artists Coalition (2018-2019) and has worked as artist-in-residence at Ragdale (2017) and ACRE (2017). Robinson is a member of Monaco, an artist-owned cooperative based in St. Louis. He also serves on the board of directors for Terrain Exhibitions in Oak Park. He also served as co-director (and co-founder) of DEMO Project until its demolition in early 2018. He currently teaches as an instructor of art at the University of Illinois Springfield and serves as director of the UIS Visual Arts Gallery.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
The Visual Arts Gallery is centrally located on the UIS campus in the Health and Science Building, Room 201. Spring 2021 gallery hours are 12-5 p.m. Monday-Wednesday. Appointments to see the exhibition are recommended.
For more information, visit the UIS Visual Arts Gallery website at uis.edu/visualarts/gallery or contact the gallery at 217-206-6506 or alach@uis.edu.
WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) and Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC) are excited to announce the 2021 Virtual Career Connections Expo. Students and alumni from the hosting institutions as well as community members are invited to attend the free online event to explore career opportunities and network with participating employers.
WHEN: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Thursday, March 4, 2021
WHERE: Online – go.uis.edu/CareerEcoExpo
DETAILS: The Expo is designed to help attendees make professional connections, find jobs and internships and explore career paths. For potential employers, it is a chance to share pertinent information and build relationships to help develop talent pipelines for current for future opportunities.
Representatives from more than 50 organizations are expected to be on hand to connect with jobseekers via online chat and video conversations.
Information for students, alumni and others: Participants can register on the CareerEco site in advance or on the same day of the event and have the option to upload a resume to share with participating employers. Additional information is available online at go.uis.edu/CareerExpo.
Information for employers: Advance registration is required. Registration information is available online at go.uis.edu/CareerEcoExpo. For more information or registration questions, call 217-206-6508 or email careerservices@uis.edu.
The Career Connections Expo is supported by advantage partners including, NPR Illinois, Memorial Health System, MSF&W, Omniskope & Sparrows.
The University of Illinois Springfield Innovation Hub, UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership and the Community Health Roundtable will host a free public webinar titled “Impact of COVID-19 on our Youth: Learning, Playing & Socializing” at Noon Friday, Feb. 19 via Zoom.
This webinar will explore the impact of COVID-19 on the well-being of our children in Sangamon County. Some of the consequences may be readily apparent, while others will likely be uncovered in years to come. Please join our expert panelists as they reveal the social and emotional strain of COVID-19 on our youth and how schools and teachers have adapted to online and hybrid learning. Panelists will discuss emergent mitigation strategies taking place at home, in school and for extra-curricular activities and athletics, share monitoring procedures and discuss how decisions have been made. Additionally, a student-athlete panelist will provide a personal account of his experience during COVID-19.
Panelists for the discussion include Dr. Sameer Vohra, chair of the Department of Population Science and Policy at the SIU School of Medicine and associate professor of pediatrics, medical humanities and law; Jennifer Gill, superintendent of Springfield School District 186; Craig Anderson, executive director of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA); and James Dent, a student-athlete at Springfield’s Southeast High School. The discussion will be moderated by Molly Lamb, executive director of the UIS Center of State Policy and Leadership.
In order to attend the event, please register online at go.uis.edu/COVIDwebinar. The Zoom link can be found on the registration page.
For more information, contact Bruce Sommer at 217-899-3186 or bsomm2@uis.edu. Past UIS webinars can be found online at go.uis.edu/Webinars.
The University of Illinois Springfield will hold a virtual Graduate School Week Feb. 22-26, 2021. The week will give students who are thinking about earning a master’s degree a chance to learn more about UIS’ 21 graduate programs.
“The week is a perfect opportunity for prospective students who want to learn more about continuing their education, or adding more skills for career advancement or changes,” said Kathryn Kleeman, UIS director of admissions. “Students who attend any event during the week won’t have to pay an admission application fee or submit scores from any graduate admission exam, like the GMAT or GRE.”
Each 20-30 minute webinar will connect prospective students with program faculty, admission counselors and assistantship representatives. Attendees will learn about the application process, program learning objectives, alumni success stories and paid assistantship and internship opportunities with tuition waivers.
Those interested can register for this free opportunity to learn about programs at go.uis.edu/gradweek. Even if calendar conflicts arise, registrants will receive a recording of the session.
For more information, contact the UIS Office of Admission at by phone at 217-206-4847, text 217-441-2590 or email admissions@uis.edu.
WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield will hold four virtual Lunch & Learn Series events this spring. The “Timely Talks on Timeless Topics in Celebration of UIS’ 50th Anniversary” series is presented by the UIS Alumni SAGE Society and the Illinois State Historical Society.
WHEN: Noon-1 p.m. on Feb. 18, March 9, April 7 and May 4
WHERE: All programs will be held via Zoom Webinar
Thursday, Feb. 18 - African-American History Makers
“Eva Carroll Monroe and the Lincoln Colored Old Folks and Orphans Home” presented by Mary Frances, artist, professor and documentarian.
“Walter Thomas Bailey: The First Licensed African-American Architect in the State of Illinois” presented by Kent Massie, principal planner and landscape architect at Massie, Massie & Associates.
Moderator: Kathryn Harris, historian, librarian and community leader
Tuesday, March 9 - The Future is Now
“The Future is Now: Business and Social Innovation in a Post Pandemic World” presented by Katie Davison, executive director of Innovate Springfield; Ranjan Karri, professor and chair of the UIS Management, Marketing and Operations Department; and Bruce Sommer, UIS director of economic development and innovation.
Moderator: Somnath Bhattacharya, dean of the UIS College of Business and Management
Wednesday, April 7 - New Paths in History
“Illinois History Symposium: The Changing Landscape of History” presented by Devin Hunter, UIS assistant professor of history. Information on additional participants to come.
Tuesday, May 4 - Presidential Candidates Who Lost
“Illinoisans Who Ran for President—And Lost” presented by Jacob Freifeld, Illinois and Midwest studies research historian at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum, and Forrest Keaton, historian, attorney and partner at Rammelkamp Bradney.
Moderator: Claire Jerry, curator of political history at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Each program needs to be registered for individually. Attendees will receive a confirmation email from each program registered for that includes the Zoom information for that specific session. Registration links for each program can be found at go.uis.edu/LunchSpring21.
For more information, contact the Office of Advancement at 217-206-6058.
Events listed below are open to the general public. To find the full list of student events, visit the Diversity Center's website.
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| UIS 2019 File Photo |
The University of Illinois Springfield is celebrating Black History Month during February with a variety of virtual events designed to educate and raise awareness. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Still We Rise.” The following virtual events are free and open to the public.
The Status of Black Lives Matter: A Shift in Policy, Culture, Justice, and Reform
Recording available Monday, Feb. 8
This UIS Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) panel discussion by African American faculty and staff at UIS is designed to encourage students and the general public to learn about the societal issues that inform and led to the formation and evolution of the Black Lives Matter Movement. UIS panelists include Tessica Dooley, assistant professor of legal studies; Ty Price Dooley, associate professor of public administration, Tiffani Saunders, lecturer in Sociology/Anthropology and African American Studies; and Justin Rose, director of diversity and inclusion. This event will help participants recognize their social responsibility by highlighting issues related to policing, healthcare, housing and other economic disparities in the African American community in twenty-first century America. The recording will be posted at on the ECCE webcasting website.
Zuzu Acrobats
7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12
The Zuzu African Acrobats are bringing traditional Kenyan acrobatic skills set to high energy beats to UIS for Black History Month. The show will be a virtual live stream that begins at 7 p.m. There will also be an opportunity for a live Q&A with the performers after the show. Hosted in collaboration with the UIS Student Activities Committee, UIS African Student Association and UIS Diversity Center. Watch the performance live on Zoom.
Race, Policing and Activism for Accountability in Black Chicago
Recording available Monday, Feb. 15
This UIS Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) event will feature professors and authors Simon Balto and Andrew Baer in conversation about race, policing and activism for accountability in Black Chicago. Balto is the author of “Occupied Territory: Policing Black Chicago from Red Summer to Black Power” and Baer is the author of “Beyond the Usual Beating: The Jon Burge Police Torture Scandal and Social Movements for Police Accountability in Chicago.” After they speak, a small panel of UIS faculty, students and community members will discuss the topic. The recording will be posted at on the ECCE webcasting website.
A Conversation with Nikki Giovanni
5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23
This is a collaborative program hosted in partnership with University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Illinois Springfield which will allow participants to explore activism through arts and poetry. Poet Nikki Giovanni will serve as a keynote speaker and performer for the hour-long conversation and poetry reading. Watch live at diversity.uic.edu/nikki-giovanni-webinar/.
For more information, contact Justin Rose, UIS director of diversity and inclusion, at 217-206-6334 or jrose22@uis.edu.
The University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery is pleased to present “Duet,” a mixed-media exhibit by Chicago-based artists Shir Ende and Max Guy. “Duet” will open on Tuesday, Jan. 19 and will run through Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021. There will be no public reception for this exhibition.
The Visual Arts Gallery will host a remote artist talk with Shir Ende and Max Guy as a program for “Duet.” This remote event will take place via Zoom on at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11 at https://uis.zoom.us/j/85409127769.
“Duet” presents a new installation of video, print and sculptural works by Shir Ende and Max Guy. The two have worked collaboratively and individually to consider the ways movement and figure are translated across media and dimensions. In their first exhibition together, “Duet” stages a dance between the pair and their work.
Ende is a Chicago-based artist and educator. She received her bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and her master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has shown at Chicago Artist Coalition, Hyde Park Art Center, Heaven Gallery, Gallery 400, Terrain Biennial, Langer Over Dickie, South of the Tracks, Mana contemporary, Woman Made Gallery and was a sponsored artist at High Concept Labs. She has screened videos at Nightingale, Comfort Station and Roman Susan. She has participated in the Center Program at the Hyde Park Art Center and was a 2018-2019 Hatch Resident at the Chicago Artist Coalition
Guy is a multidisciplinary artist who works with paper, video, performance, assemblage and installation. He uses appropriated material and deskilled working methods as a fast, ergonomic way of reflecting the world and filtering it through personal effects. In the process, his work constitutes a personal mythology or parallel universe of sorts. Guy received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art and a master’s degree in fine arts from the Department of Art, Theory and Practice at Northwestern University.
The Visual Arts Gallery is centrally located on the UIS campus in the Health and Science Building, Room 201. Spring 2021 gallery hours are scheduled as 12-5 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, but please call or email to confirm hours as our schedule may fluctuate due to COVID-19. Appointments to see the exhibition are recommended.
For more information, visit the UIS Visual Arts Gallery website at uis.edu/visualarts/gallery or contact the gallery by phone at 217-206-6506 or alach@uis.edu.
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| Courtesy: SIU School of Medicine |
The University of Illinois Springfield Innovation Hub, UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership and the Community Health Roundtable will host a free public webinar titled “COVID-19 Vaccine: The Journey to Immunity” at Noon Friday, Jan. 15 via Zoom.
Public health and health care panelists will join together to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine and answer important questions around the safety and efficacy of each vaccine, allocation and distribution. Additionally, panelists will discuss COVID-19’s impact on specific populations and how the impact has determined vaccine prioritization, along with giving some understanding of when herd immunity (the point at which enough people are immune to the virus) will be reached.
Panelists include Dr. Vidya Sundareshan, interim chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the SIU School of Medicine; Dr. Wesley Robinson-McNeese, SIU Systems executive director for diversity initiatives; Brian Churchill, EMS coordinator and emergency management facilitator at HSHS St. John’s Hospital; and Heidi Clark, chief of the division of infectious diseases at the Illinois Department of Public Health. The discussion will be moderated by Molly Lamb, executive director of the UIS Center of State Policy and Leadership.
In order to attend the event, please register online at go.uis.edu/CHRWebinarJan152021. A Zoom link will be emailed to those who register.
For more information, contact Bruce Sommer at 217-899-3186 or bsomm2@uis.edu. Past UIS webinars can be found online at go.uis.edu/Webinars.
